PRESQUE ISLE, Maine — Northern Light AR Gould Hospital is pleased to announce that it is now offering a new procedure to help reduce stroke risk and a new imaging test to identify potential cardiac concerns.
Coronary computed tomography angiography, or coronary CTA, is a heart imaging test that helps determine if plaque buildup has narrowed the coronary arteries, the blood vessels that supply the heart. Patients undergoing a coronary CTA scan receive an injection of iodine-containing contrast material to ensure the best possible images of the heart blood vessels.
This is a quick, easy test for patients with unusual chest pain who are at low or intermediate risk for coronary heart disease, according to radiologist Alan Mautz, MD.
“Coronary CTA is another tool for health care providers to evaluate patients with chest pain and improve access to specialty care, improving our ability to discriminate between the wide array of the causes of chest pain and improve access for all patients who need to be seen by a cardiology specialist,” Dr. Mautz said.
Cardiologist Rodolfo Aldir, MD and Dr. Mautz collaborated to perform the first coronary CTA at AR Gould on March 25. Collaboration with the cardiology team, specialized training for technologists, and a new, better CT machine have all contributed to the hospital now being able to offer this important test.
Orders for a coronary CTA are not limited to cardiology providers, according to Dr. Mautz. Primary care providers can also order this test for patients who meet the appropriate indications for testing.
The same week that this test was done at AR Gould for the first time, a carotid endarterectomy was also performed. During this procedure, atherosclerotic plaque is removed from one of the carotid arteries (blood vessels on each side of your neck) to improve blood flow and decrease the risk of a stroke.
The procedure was performed by Peter Beaulieu, DO, one of several vascular surgeons from Northern Light Eastern Maine Medical Center who travels regularly to AR Gould to see patients. While he has been seeing patients in Presque Isle for several years now, patients needing a CEA had to travel to Bangor to have it done.
“Northern Light Health has invested in building comprehensive medical and surgical teams, which is enabling us to do more complicated procedures in facilities other than Eastern Maine Medical Center,” Dr. Beaulieu said. “AR Gould has the right infrastructure in place to support complex cases.”
Dr. Beaulieu says this is an extremely common procedure, and hundreds are performed at the medical center in Bangor each year. He’s happy to now be able to offer this in Presque Isle for the convenience of patients in this region.
“We are always looking for ways to offer more services close to home for our patients whenever we can,” Dr. Jay Reynolds, president of AR Gould Hospital, said.“As long as we can offer a service safely, maintain a quality standard of care, and have the necessary resources, we do our best to make it happen. We know this is what’s best for our patients and the region.”
